ST Ranger Things (March 13): Why sending Willie Calhoun to the minors is about much more than service time

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Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun can't make a diving play on a double off the bat of Seattle Mariners shortstop Taylor Motter during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game on Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Surprise, Ariz. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

Observations, notes, doo-dads, doodles and random thoughts from the Rangers day in canmp camp and their 4-3 loss to Milwaukee at the venerable Maryvale Baseball Complex.

1. Among the Rangers 14 player moves Monday, the biggest name being sent to the minors was Willie Calhoun, who presumably entered camp with a chance to compete for the left field job. It is it a big name? Yes. A surprising name? No.

Rangers ship Willie Calhoun to Round Rock, tell him to work on defense

2. The only way Calhoun was going to force his way into the conversation was by abusing baseballs AND showing competent left field defense. He didn't do either. He did show promise as a hitter, but everybody expected that. He can hit. He didn't, however, take Arizona by storm. And the defense needs work. The routes were awkward and he still looked unnatural in left field.

3. By going down now, he can get more intensive one-on-one work with outfield instructor Dwayne Murphy.

4. He also could use some baserunning refinement.

5. By sending Calhoun to the minors, the Rangers might just preserve a year of service time on his free agent clock. Now, you can speculate all you want on this, but, in the past the Rangers have not really manipulated service time. Maybe they did a little bit last September with Jurickson Profar by not calling him up, but at the same time, they did call up Calhoun, giving him service time that wasn't necessary. You can bet the Rangers are aware of the service clock, but it's never really been a driving force for this administration.

6. Anyway, here's how it would work: If Calhoun gets 152 days of service this season, he would reach 172 or the equivalent of one year and he would then have five years until free agency. Anything less and the earliest he could be a free agent is after 2023. The date to watch: May 3. If he's called up on or after that date, he can't possibly end up with a year of service.

7. Catcher Brett Nicholas cleared waivers and is back in the major league camp as a minor league invite. Don't count on this getting Nicholas back into the backup catching competition. That was lost when Nicholas was removed from the 40-man roster in the first place.

Looking for a clue as to who backs up Robinson Chirinos as the Rangers' catcher? OK, look in any camp other than the Rangers.

8. Bobby Wilson, currently in the Twins camp, might be as good a candidate as any.

How can Rangers fix their pitching? Cutting out the cutter would be a start

9. This constant lack of catching depth reminds me: This team really needs to develop a catcher. The Rangers believe they are now fairly deep at the position with Trevino, Sam Huff, David Garcia, Yohel Pozo and Matt Whatley, a third-round pick last year.

10. Destin Hood, one of the remaining corner outfielders left, continued his nice spring at the plate with a double off the wall, but misplayed a short pop fly into left for a single. He also back-pealed on a ball he ended up catching. If Hood is going to make the team, he is going to have to show defensive skills.

11. It was a little bit weird to see Cole Hamels departing for the Rangers clubhouse in the fifth inning with manager Jeff Banister right alongside. Reason for concern? Not so much. With the Rangers scheduled off day on Wednesday, Banister had scheduled a flight home so he could see his son play in a high school baseball game. To make a flight, he had to leave early.

12. Matt Bush's return to the bullpen didn't go so great. Four hits in an inning, including a long home run by Jesus Aguilar. Not a great return, but I wouldn't be too concerned about this particular outing. He was bound to have an emotional letdown after the starting rotation experiment ended.

13. Jeff Banister said he is still leaning towards a 13-man pitching staff.

14. If so, Darwin Barney has only shot at making the roster and that's an injury to an infielder. That said, he's having a nice spring. He had a sacrifice fly from the No. 9 spot Tuesday and also drove home a run with a single.

15. If the Rangers go to a 12-man staff to start the season - with perhaps Jesse Chavez bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen - then they could carry a four-man bench. It would open up lots more possibilities to keep Barney, who would be a really nice guy to sub defensively for Rougned Odor late in close games.